PENGUINS 3, SOUND TIGERS 0

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers lost to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Friday night by a final score of 3-0. They put 17 shots--including 11 in the second period-- on net against Peter Mannino, who stopped them all for his third shut out of the season.

The Penguins opened the scoring at the 10:13 mark of the first period after they dumped the puck in behind Reiter’s net. It took a tough bounce over Reiter’s stick, however, and was picked up by Anton Zlobin. Zlobin found Bobby Farnham out front, who put the puck into the open net to give Wilkes-Barre/Scranton the 1-0 lead.

Just over three minutes later, Chuck Kobasew forced a turnover in the Sound Tigers end and broke free from the defense to come in on a breakaway. He made a move and got the puck past Reiter to make it a 2-0 game, which the Penguins took into the first intermission.

The Sound Tigers came out strong in the second period and were outshooting the Penguins for most of the middle frame. They earned a power play with four minutes left in the second, but Wilkes-Barre/Scranton put another goal on the board with a shorthanded effort from Dominik Uher. Uher and Harry Zolnierczyk broke into the Sound Tigers zone two-on-one as Uher put a shot on net. Reiter made the initial save and a second stop on Zolnierczyk, but Uher was waiting at the doorstep for the loose puck and scored to make it 3-0 at the 17:53 mark.

The third period provided the Sound Tigers with more chances, as they picked up two power plays early. They were unable to generate enough offense to beat Mannino, however, who went relatively untested in the third. A late flurry with the teams four-on-four gave the Sound Tigers some life, but the final buzzer sounded with Penguins on top by a final score of 3-0.

The Sound Tigers return to action Saturday night when they face the Adirondack Phantoms at the Glens Falls Civic Center. They will return home Sunday for a 3 p.m. contest against the Hershey Bears at Webster Bank Arena.

NOTESSeason Series: The Sound Tigers and Penguins played just twice this season, but the Penguins won them both. The first game was the very first of the season, back on Oct. 5 at Webster Bank Arena, a 5-2 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton win.

Debuts: Victor Crus Rydberg played in his first professional game Friday after signing an amateur tryout contract earlier in the week.

Dropping the Gloves: Both Chris Bruton and Mathieu Gagnon picked up fighting majors in Friday’s game. For Gagnon, it was his second fight in his second American Hockey League game.